The NO-TP Experiment
by Cocoon02
Summary: A collection of one-shots featuring ships outside of my usual range. I may not ship the pairings, but all one-shots will be positive towards them! Story #1 features Hope and Lightning. If you're interested, follow along to see if one of your personal favorites is in the roster!


**Author's Note:** So, as I said, this compilation is a bit different. Every one-shot posted in here is for a ship that I DO NOT support. However, I will not be tearing them down. My goal is to give a fair and legitimate fanfic to each and every one. It's a bit of a test for me, and hopefully a source of entertainment for you. :)

We will be starting off with Hope and Lightning.

* * *

It was quiet. A soft, peaceful quiet, unbroken even by breathing. Through the window came the struggling rays of morning that turned the darkness a gentle blue, and started the cascade that would eventually stir the gossamer stillness.

Thin strands of rose-colored hair fell, almost in slow motion, brushing a cheek that wasn't hers, tickling the tip of her nose just so. She woke from the irritation, opening her eyes with nary a flutter. For a few precious moments, she forgot herself, forgot where she was. She sat up abruptly, crinkling the loose sheet beneath her.

As she raised her hand to sate her nose, her fingers glanced against something cold. Not alarmed, she investigated, and a rare smile graced her lips.

That's right.

Hope lay sleeping beside her, his surprisingly strong arms shoved unceremoniously under the pillow, his face buried deeply into the other side. His silver hair floated, feather-like, with every breath, and she found herself watching his back rise and fall with a serenity that comes only in sleep.

The last time she'd watched him sleep, he'd only been a boy. They had been afraid his fate as a l'Cie had destroyed him inside. He slept for so long...it seemed he would never wake up. Hours and hours...her biggest fear had been that he would suddenly turn to crystal, like Serah.

She trailed her fingers along his cold, pale skin. He'd grown a lot since then. He wasn't a boy anymore. An invisible shadow traced her own skin, and she followed it. Definitely not a boy. He had grown into the kind of man his mother would've wanted him to be.

The kind of man she could love.

She yawned, sliding herself as quietly as she could over the blankets one or both of them had kicked to the end of the bed with the intention of gathering the rest of her clothes. Before she could, however, warmth gripped her wrist.

"Claire…" Hope mumbled.

She chuckled, laying back down to match him. She patted his face without actually smacking him. "Come on, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Light?"

"As many times as it takes for you to stop." He rolled over so he was on top of her, smiling. Lightning stared up at him with a fascination she didn't think would ever go away. Goddess, he was just…

Hope kissed her gently, like she was something precious to be coddled. She threw her arms up around his neck, inviting him in. You don't have to be so careful, she wanted to say, I can handle you. He chuckled into her lungs, reading her mind. He began to lace passion and lust into his actions, taking her fully into his arms. Yes, she thought, don't stop.

She kept him distracted until she was ready. "Hope..." she moaned.

"I'm here..." He kissed her neck.

Or tried to.

Lightning flipped him back to his side, settling herself on his stomach with a smirk. "Claire doesn't roll that way."

Hope laughed, accepting his defeat. "Okay. But what about Lightning?"

She rolled her eyes, hopping off the bed. "You met her last night." She ran her hands through her hair, beginning to work through the knots while she scanned for her hairbrush. Outside, the morning finally broke as birds began their songs, ready to face the day. Lightning heard Hope rise behind her, felt a tug on the back of her head, the tell-tale pricks of pain from arms not her own brushing her hair.

"It was on the table." Hope explained as she lowered her hands, as she felt the bristles of the brush run through carefully - which only resulted in more pain.

"Just go for it." She closed her eyes. "It just hurts when you go slow."

He tried, but he was too concerned with not hurting her. Lightning gave up on him quickly, and took the brush. "Let me do it. Go fix your own rat's nest."

Not at all offended with her clear lack of faith in his hair-brushing skills, Hope grinned and shook his head like a dog. "Done."

While the messy look did suit him, Lightning pushed him away slightly. "Seriously, make yourself presentable."

"Alright, alright."

Hope was ready in just a few minutes, and spent the rest of the time sitting semi-suggestively on the bed, as if reminding her what she was missing out on by being responsible. At one point, she threw a shoe at him.

As Lightning was finishing up her hair in the mirror, he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, purposefully blowing on the back of her neck. Okay, maybe he wasn't all that grown up yet. She elbowed him and put her hair up in a tie in one fluid motion. He didn't let go, pulling her in tight. "Why do you have to give the speech again? Can't Fang do it? She's been offering for years."

Lightning shook her head. "I was the one responsible. Fang played her part, sure, but she wasn't the Savior."

Hope sighed, and let her go. "I know, but that wasn't your choice. The downfall of Cocoon, and ultimately the whole world, was the fault of Fal'cie. You don't have to apologize for that."

"I'm not." Lightning turned to face him, instead of watching him through the mirror. His ocean eyes frowned with worry. "I'm teaching them. Hope, people do blame us, but the more we explain, they more they remember, the more we can put this all behind us." She kissed him quickly. "I love you, okay? I'll see you there."

* * *

Lightning sat in her car at the stadium, breathing her heart back to a normal rate. She wished she'd waited for Hope, she needed his strength at her side. As much as he thought it was the other way around. People trailed into the doors farther away down the rows, herded like sheep into the stadium by the promise of her speaking to them. She hated this. If she could let Fang do it, she'd stay in bed for ten years - she certainly earned it after all the shit she did for the Fal'cie, and for god.

But she couldn't. She had to keep the peace, just like always.

There was a knock on her window. Of course Hope had followed her. She rolled down the window for him. "What are you doing? I thought you were going to get brunch with Snow? This thing doesn't start for another hour."

"I knew you were going to sit here and think way too hard." He opened the door and motioned for her to scoot.

Lightning frowned suspiciously, but gave up the driver's seat.

Hope sat, and for a minute or so, said nothing. Then he took his hands and held the steering wheel, gripping it firmly, and his face tensed into focus. Her frown deepened. "Hope? What are you doing?"

He continued to act like he had been on the road for hours. "I'm taking control. Claire, sometimes you have to step back and realize your passengers have a licence."

"You're not making any sense."

Hope gave up his charade and looked right at her. "I know you think the world is on your shoulders, but it's not, it never was. Not even when you were Savior. I'm not going to stop you from giving this speech again, but I want you to know you're not alone." He blushed a little. "I care about you too much to let you think that, okay? I love you."

He was so serious, Lightning couldn't help but laugh. "Hope, don't you get it? I haven't felt alone since the first time we woke up together. It's because of you that I can do this damn speech every year. Otherwise, I would let Fang do it." She took his hand. "You know why they have to remember, right? Because we can't let the gods win, not even now. Weren't you the one who said we could make our own destinies?"

Hope squeezed her hand. "I did. And I think mine is right here." He smiled. "Let's remind them together."

* * *

 **And, scene! I hope any of you who do ship Hope/Lightning enjoyed that! I suffered a bit, but that's the point. I hope to gain an appreciation for ships outside of my personal favorites through this challenge.**

 **(If you happen to ship Hope/Vanille, please feel free to read my other stories :3 Even if you don't, go ahead and read them! They might be my favorite subject, but I do branch out!)**

 **The next pairing will be: Lightning/Snow**

 **Stick around!**


End file.
